11 April 2011

BACH FLOWER THERAPY FOR PARKINSON PATIENTS

“ The symptoms that you are talking about are nothing but an indication that you are suffering with Parkinson’s disease”. Almost all patients suffering with Parkinson’s disease have heard this statement at least once from their physician, and have not been able to forget it.

Almost all patients suffer with a major setback when they try to adjust with the harsh reality of getting diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD). That is usually the beginning of a life-long fight with an irreversible ailment that makes one more and more dependent on the environment with every rising day. Each and every patient (and most of their care-takers) experience an episode of depression at least once in their life time, and at least 50% of them have to take a treatment for it.

The ever-increasing dependency, not being able to do small and easy day to day jobs, unaffordable cost of treatment, failure of the current medical world not only to cure but even to control the growth of the ailment,… everything leads to a state of anguish and vexation, which itself can hinder the efficacy of the medication given for the disease.

The most commonly occurring emotional changes are:

·Excessive worrying about the ailment

·Constant unwanted negative thoughts

·Feeling of dependency and being handicapped

·Asocial and aloof feeling

·Loneliness

·Indifference and ennui

·Fear of attaining a vegetative state

·Loss of memory

·Insomnia – loss of sleep

·Suicidal thoughts

·Irrational fear, anxiety and phobias

Medically it has been proved that the ‘orbito-frontal’ region of the brain does not work optimally in these patients. This is the region that deals with generating the positive and healthy feeling states, and is directly under the influence of the dopamine secretion.

Bach flower therapy comprise a therapeutic system that uses dilutions of flower essences developed from 38 naturally occurring flowers, to balance physical and emotional disturbances. This therapy was developed and introduced by Dr Edward Bach, a Harley street physician, in 1936, who believed that the right essence can nullify the ‘predominant, persistent negative mental states’ to bring back the patient to a positive mental state. These essences interact with the subtle bodies and so can help people by addressing the emotional responses of patients towards oneself and the disease.

There are 38 original Bach flower remedies, each prescribed for certain mental and emotional problem, together forming a complete therapeutic system of healing. The remedies are prepared by picking fresh flowers, still wet with dew, placing them in a clear glass bowl of spring water and leaving them in sunlight for several hours during the early–morning.

Dr Bach believed that the remedies contained small amounts of the plant’s life-force energy which enabled them to provide vibration patterns needed to either neutralize or serve as an antidote to negative emotional, behavioral, or cognitive states. Each one of the 38 remedies corresponds to a precise psychological imbalance and is suitable for treating an extensive series of symptoms. There is no standard remedy for any one disorder as the same problem experienced by different individuals can produce quite varied psychological reactions. Each individual requires a unique treatment. Depending on the symptoms, the remedies can be used singly or in combinations to a maximum of 7. The remedies are taken on the tongue, under the tongue, or at the pulse point of the wrist a minimum of 4 times per day.

Commonly prescribed Bach flower remedies for PD patients:

1.Gorse:

Very useful to treat the hopeless and depressed state where the patient has lost hope and denies any kind of treatment. These patients literally need to be carried to the doctor. These patients will concentrate more on the intractable nature of the ailment, to feel utterly low.

2.Mimulus & Larch:

These remedies can be prescribed for specific fears and the lack of confidence, respectively. Patient always has got a fear of falling while walking, which can be relieved with Mimulus. The addition of Larch to it will boost the self-confidence.

3.Olive:

This remedy is useful treating the state of marked prostration resulting due to the unfailing tremor, loss of appetite, digestive complaints and recurrent negative thoughts. The patient feels completely drained and exhausted. There is a significant lack of vitality. The remedy Olive can help these patients to regain their strength. Also is useful for the care-taker.

4.White chestnut:

A good remedy for loss of sleep due to recurrent negative thoughts, leading to a state of irritation or agitation.

Advantages of Bach flower therapy:

The flower remedies appear to have no side effects and do not seem to interfere with any form of treatment including homeopathic, herbal or allopathic medication. In fact, due to their ability to improve the receptivity and reaction-pattern of an individual, these remedies can in fact improve the efficacy of the concomitant medication. Many psychotherapists take help of these remedies as an adjunct healing force, along with their counseling.It is important to know that the remedies seem to act as catalysts in releasing unwanted negative psychological states.

In case of patients suffering with Parkinson’s disease, these remedies can help the patient (and the care-taker) to get relief from the negative emotions like fear, anxiety, depression and hopelessness. Once the emotional balance is achieved, one can deal with the physical ailment in a better shape and can face life more positively.

Love, Affection, Sympathy, Care and Homage, we use flowers in all situations of life. Bach flower therapy has proved that, flowers not only represent our emotions, but can also help to heal them, naturally !

About the title...

In many ailments, where allopathy does not offer much, homeopathy has proved its worth. Though considered as the most famous complementary medicinal system around the world, homeopathy is still preferred as the second option in many illnesses.

This blog aims to cater to the patients as well as the students of homeopathy, with an objective to show what homeopathy offers to all of us; and why it’s worth trying this system in the first place.

About Me

Amit is practicing & studying Homeopathy and Bach Flower Therapy for over a decade through his patients & students.
As a research-oriented homoeopath, he has worked extensively in cases of Refractory Epilepsy, ADHD, Infantile Autism, and Plantar fasciitis. Thousands of patients, spread across all continents, have regained their health with his Ethical, Rational, and Patient-centric Clinical Practice.